The present invention relates to the elimination of aesthetically unacceptable hues visible through light-colored translucent overlays, and more specifically to a method of eliminating and a laminate which eliminates the unacceptable hues that are created in an area of overlap between a light-colored substrate that reflects a certain wavelength of light to and through a light-colored translucent overlay.
Glass and glass-ceramic products are used commonly in the manufacture of, for example, cooktops, appliance and fireplace doors and windows, control panel and backsplash assemblies, refrigerator shelves, and laboratory equipment. In fact, conventional radiant cooktops are frequently manufactured with a light-colored glass-ceramic panel supported by a light-colored porcelain frame. In general, the glass-ceramic panel and the porcelain frame are the same color. Invariably during the manufacture of these radiant cooktops there is an overlap area between the glass-ceramic panel and the porcelain frame. It is in this overlap area that unacceptable hue colorations become visible. The hue colorations are the result of certain wavelengths of light passing through the glass-ceramic panel, reflecting off of the porcelain frame and passing back through the glass-ceramic panel. Common colors of the unacceptable hues include pink, purple and green, and the actual color of the unacceptable hue is dependent upon the wavelengths of light that pass back through the glass-ceramic panel.
For example, when a white glass-ceramic panel is used with a white porcelain frame, the resulting overlap area between the two has an unpleasant pink hue that is visible to the xe2x80x9cnakedxe2x80x9d eye of the consumer. In other words, the white porcelain frame behind the white glass-ceramic panel in the area of overlap appears to have a visible pink hue. Unfortunately, this pink hue is unacceptable, since it detracts from the otherwise totally white appearance of the cooktop.
A method currently used to mask the unacceptable visible hue of such conventional cooktops involves placing a painted steel plate in the overlap area between the glass-ceramic panel and the porcelain frame. Unfortunately, this method is less than ideal since it adds unwanted material and manufacturing labor costs to the cooktop.
One way to solve the problem of an aesthetically unacceptable hue being visible through an area of overlap between a light-colored translucent overlay and a light-colored substrate is by applying a dark material upon at least one of the light-colored substrate and the light-colored translucent overlay in the area of overlap therebetween. By thereafter sandwiching the dark material between the overlay and the substrate at the area of overlap, certain wavelengths of light that normally pass through the overlay into the substrate and would otherwise reflect off the substrate back to and through the overlay are blocked and/or absorbed by the dark material. As a result, the light-colored translucent overlay in the area of overlap appears in its true light color to the xe2x80x9cnakedxe2x80x9d eye absent the aesthetically unacceptable hue.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dark material is an adhesive which advantageously bonds the overlay and substrate together without the need for fasteners.
With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.